Ryan Kesler

Someone brought up Ryan Kesler's name and contract up in another thread and it got me thinking. He is a RFA next year, and I was wondering if you guys think the Wings should try and sign him to an offer sheet. He is a Livonia native. I would suspect we could sign him for somewhere in the 3.5-4 mil range and hope Vancouver doesnt match.

If they didnt match we would have to give up a 1st and 3rd round pick in next years draft. To me, this is a small price to pay for a 25 year old forward with the ability to score a point per game. To fit him under the cap we would obviously not have room for Jiri Hudler to come back which is fine with me. Kesler is alot better.

I realize this is wishful thinking. Vancouver is in good shape in terms of the cap and Kelser will be a top priority of theirs in the offseason. I just think its something the Wings should consider. Whats the worst that could happen?

No one goes after RFA's these days.. and Holland never wants to give up first rounders and s***

Haha that made me laugh. And yeah, I agree. I dont expect to get Kesler at all. I just think that it is a route the Wings might want to consider. After coming off a rough season, and anticipating a new season with pretty much the same cast of characters we've had the past 3-5 seasons, a shake up might be in order. Going the RFA route, you dont have to move any key parts, just draft picks. And if you can get an up and coming star for a first and a third, I think its definitely worth it.

Theres really nothing to lose by signing a future stud to an offer sheet. The worst that could happen is the other team matching the contract and you wind up right where you were before.

Kesler is a center.

Flippula would be moved to 3rd line.

I would love Kesler on the Wings, I just don't see Vancouver not re-signing him. He's too valuable on that team.

If you think Lids is going to play next year for 3 million dollars you're nuts. Cmon give the guy some respect, I realize he is on the tail end of his great career but he is still top 5 in this league in terms of overall d men. If he decides to continue playing which I hope he will he won't make less than 5 a year and I would suggest that he will probably get a contract in the 6 million dollar range.

Only way Vancouver doesnt match is on a gross overpayment (over 5.5) and it's not worth giving up 2 1st rounders and a 2nd to sign him for >5mill. Never going to happen

I agree. My whole thing here is that I think this team might need a shake up and/or a fresh face. If you sign a Ryan Kesler, Nicklas Backstrom, or Bobby Ryan to an offer sheet, you really dont have much to lose. It's conceivable that a team will get frugal and let the player go. Those players are well worth the lost draft picks.

I agree though, Ryan Kesler means too much to Vancouver.

Additionally, Andrew Ladd is an RFA. If we can sign him to a contract that fits us, with 14 players signed and already over the cap, Chicago is in no position to match. This is something that should be considered as well.

Dallas i believe has 1.8m Cap space now with alot of RFA/UFA coming up

Eriksson signed a big extension a few months ago... in the range of 4-4.5Don't mean to be a downer but there is no way the wings will be pouching any big name rfa's. If they do go after an rfa (which I highly doubt they will) it would be someone like Ladd or Hjalmarsson (sp) from a team that is extremely close to the cap

I'll say this once and I'll say it clearly, Dumphy's on the cup next to Danny Cleary!

Eriksson signed a big extension a few months ago... in the range of 4-4.5Don't mean to be a downer but there is no way the wings will be pouching any big name rfa's. If they do go after an rfa (which I highly doubt they will) it would be someone like Ladd or Hjalmarsson (sp) from a team that is extremely close to the cap

Don't think we could afford to give him more than 2-2.5 (which IMO is high for him) and there are plenty of teams in a better cap situation than us who could match that. Before we played them on Saturday, Ladd had 12g in 64gp on a team that has no problem scoring. Given all of the s*** that Cleary has taken, Danny has 13g in 54gp.

I was just throwing Ladd's name out there because I knew he was a RFA and wasn't making a whole lot of money (i figured he'd be making <1.5). Honesty I hope the wings don't go after any RFA's this summer unless they can sign them for 1-1.5mil (which in most cases their team would match). Poaching RFA's and giving up draft picks is an expensive way to build a team.

Edit: Theres absolutely no way the caps let Backstrom go for a price we could afford. They would trade Semin for picks to keep him if they had to, he's ovie's setup man after all, and only 22! Theodore's contract is up this summer so I'm sure they'll find some cash for Backstrom

Edited by ceebs, 10 March 2010 - 11:09 PM.

I'll say this once and I'll say it clearly, Dumphy's on the cup next to Danny Cleary!

I don't know that we're in a position to add any C-level free agent forwards like Ladd. I think the next Patrick Eaves might be the ceiling if we do add a forward or two, simply becssue we're going to either have to replace Lidstrom on the blueline with a decent D man or we'll have Lidstrom at a slightly reduced short term contract... and have no cap room anyway.

I'm simply basing this opinion on what the Matt Stajans and Rene Bourques have been getting in terms of extensions. If these guys are in the $3.5 to $4 million range for four or five years, Ladd is certainly not all that far behind those guys. Maybe $2.5 to $2.7 million for three to five?

I don't know that we're in a position to add any C-level free agent forwards like Ladd. I think the next Patrick Eaves might be the ceiling if we do add a forward or two, simply becssue we're going to either have to replace Lidstrom on the blueline with a decent D man or we'll have Lidstrom at a slightly reduced short term contract... and have no cap room anyway.

I'm simply basing this opinion on what the Matt Stajans and Rene Bourques have been getting in terms of extensions. If these guys are in the $3.5 to $4 million range for four or five years, Ladd is certainly not all that far behind those guys. Maybe $2.5 to $2.7 million for three to five?

I think we are in a position to add even if Lidstrom comes back for a reduced price. Figuring we re-sign Lidstrom, Holmstrom, Lilja and Bertuzzi we have 4.6 mil in cap room with 1 spot to fill. Hudler is rumored to come back, but I don think the Wings brass should settle. If we can find a player at 4 million that we feel is a better fit than Hudler, then by all means, upgrade.